


The King's Return

by Rhi_dono14



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-03
Updated: 2015-04-07
Packaged: 2018-02-07 08:04:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1891461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rhi_dono14/pseuds/Rhi_dono14
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin has been spending the last hundred of years alone and has been living in a small town called Great Yarmouth. It is by the beach and allows the cool air to brush through his hair, almost as if Arthur was back. A distant yelling draws Merlin to go sort out the problem, and what he finds begins to lighten his heart again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little short thing I came up with. Apologies for any errors

Merlin had recently changed his appearance back to his younger self. He grew weary of looking like an old druid, or like a homeless man to the people of London. He slowly stepped through the streets of Great Yarmouth. He hated the new clothes he was having to wear. It was a new light blue shirt and some grey jeans. His black hair moved slightly in the wind. The view of the sea was so beautiful and whenever Merlin swam in it, he would remember Arthur. He even liked to pretend that the waves of the water were Arthur's hands smoothly caressing his body. It was the only way he would be able to achieve peace in this world. Merlin's heart ached every time he thought of him, but he couldn't hold himself back anymore. If he wanted to feel sane again, Arthur was the cure. Even if it did mean that Merlin would soon find himself in the closest pub, trying to drink the memories away. Merlin was sure enough that eventually he would have to force himself to forget. The pain of waiting was getting too much to deal with. It was only 2014, and what if he still had another hundred years? He couldn't do it.

It was early morning and Merlin was back on the streets again. An early dip in the sea might do him some good as he would always be left in peace at this time. He reached the edge of the sand and his eyes squinted at the sun which had just finished appearing over the horizon. He sighed and stepped firmly on to the sand. Suddenly, there was screaming and yelling from a vegetable stall nearby. Merlin decided to go see what the ruckus was about.  
"What's going on?! Who are you? Leave me alone!" a man yelled through the crowd. He seemed distressed.  
Merlin tapped him on the shoulder and said "excuse me, do you need any help?"  
"No! I don't nee-" the man turned around and both men stood there staring at each other. No words were forming in their mouths. The man opposite just mumbled some meaningless words which sounded like curses mixed with amazement. The man stood there wearing what Merlin knew to be a knight's armor. It was the only armor he knew in his whole life. The knight's armor of Camelot.  
"A-Arthur?" Merlin asked. Of course it was him, it had to be. The blonde hair falling exactly the way it normally would, although it did look a little messier than usual. It must be Arthur. Merlin had seen so many faces in his many years, but no one ever looked like Arthur and he was sure they wouldn't start now.  
Abruptly, Arthur's arms wrapped around Merlin's waist and squeezed him tightly. It was a mix of fear and happiness at the same time. Merlin couldn't blame him, by the sound of his yelling he must've only recently appeared again and everything was a shock to him.  
"Merlin" Arthur whispered. Just when Merlin felt like maybe things were changing, Arthur started yelling again. "What did you do? Is this some kind of trick to scare me?! Put us back now, Merlin! Where's Camelot?"  
"Arthur, please. Let me just take us somewhere else. People are getting scared."  
"Well they should be! I want to go back to Camelot!" he yelled even more, glancing to the people around him who were probably thinking he was crazy about now.  
"Come on, Arthur" Merlin reassured and led him to the beach.

Arthur was a little calmer now that he was standing on the beach front. His eyes kept drifting between the sea and Merlin. This world was new to Arthur and he Merlin knew he wouldn't take a keen eye to it just yet. He just hoped he could show Arthur the ropes and prepare him for his new future.  
"What is this place?" Arthur asked, not taking his eyes off the sea.  
"Great Yarmouth. The Earth in 2014. Camelot hasn't been around for years now" Merlin answered.  
"Can you put us back?"  
"No, Arthur. This is the future. Now the beginning of yours" Merlin said.  
"Stop tricking me, Merlin" his eyes turned harsh. "Put us back... Now! It's not funny. I understand you have magic, I just want to go home" Arthur yelled.  
Merlin sighed "I can't, Arthur. And I didn't do this." Arthur gazed back out at the see, his eyes not getting any calmer. Merlin knew he wasn't going to relax, so he just sat himself on the shore and allowed the sea to slowly drift underneath him. Arthur stared down at Merlin.

Merlin and Arthur had been on the beach all day, just making useless small talk. Arthur asked about Guinevere and whether she died peacefully and Merlin replied in agreement. Then Arthur would ask small things about this new world and seemed amazed when he heard about things he'd never seen before. Arthur was definitely calmer now and he laid on the sand with the sea barely touching his legs. Merlin laid beside him and watched the sun in the distance slowly disappear.  
"So, I'm really not dreaming? Or having a strange view of heaven" Arthur laughed.  
"No, not a dream or heaven. If it was either one of them then I wouldn't be here" Merlin reminded.  
"Oh, so I'm guessing your not dreaming too if I'm around."  
"I wouldn't be so sure, Arthur" Merlin smiled.  
"Hmm?" Arthur turned over and stared at Merlin, the heat leaving a glitter of sweat against Arthur's arms.  
"You'd definitely be here in my dreams and my heaven."  
"Well, since this is neither, will you be leaving my sight anytime soon?" Arthur questioned. His eyes wide in hope of the answer he was seeking.  
"I can't leave you anymore, dollop-head."  
"Dollop-head?" Arthur laughed. Merlin smiled at the sky that now grew darker and the temperature had cooled down a lot. He hadn't realised Arthur was still laying there smiling back at him, so he turned back to meet his eyes. "Just don't leave my side anymore, okay?"  
"Of course, Your Majesty." Arthur leaned over Merlin's body and slightly kissed his bottom lip. It lingered slightly before Arthur fell on to his back and took a sharp breath.  
"Definitely doing that again" Arthur decided, his eyes flicking to Merlin's tense body beside him.  
"Then do so, Arthur" Merlin replied as Arthur moved back to his body and kissed him sweetly. "Though, may I say you need a change of clothes if you want to fit in."  
"Ugh, in the morning, Merlin" he said as he sank back with him on the sand.


	2. Ice Cream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur is fascinated over the many flavours of ice cream that Merlin introduces him to.

Arthur stood facing a stall full of many flavours of ice cream. Merlin already had him enjoying vanilla and chocolate ice cream, as he wasn't so fond of strawberry, but he was amazed at how many ice cream flavours actually existed in this new world. They even came on a cone which somehow made eating ice cream more fun for him. Arthur was wearing a black jacket with a 'pugs not drugs' grey shirt on underneath. Merlin said he'd fit in well wearing it, however he was sure that he heard him snigger behind him. Recently, he'd been seeing the world in a much different aspect than he used to and that was mainly because he was living amongst the working class, and not with the upper class like he was familiar with. Merlin tugged on his jacket with eagerness.

"Are you going to choose an ice cream flavour, or are you just going to stare at them like a twit" laughed Merlin.

"When I'm king again, Merlin, I'm going to lock you up" Arthur smirked and Merlin tucked his arm around his. Arthur gazed over the different ice creams again and decided that he wanted to get the coffee one. Only because Merlin had him drinking a lot of coffee as it helps them both to get up in the morning. Once both of them were seated with their ice creams, Merlin pointed out things Arthur had never seen before and explained what they were and how they might affect his future once he's king. There's was a lot of difference that he'd come back to and he didn't know how he would cope with it. Knowing Merlin was going to be beside him every step did help.

Both of them lived in an apartment overlooking the beach. They would sit on the balcony to watch the sun go down, indicating a new day is coming soon. Sometimes Merlin would fall asleep in his arms and he'd carry him inside and into bed. Other nights, Arthur just couldn't resist the overwhelming feeling Merlin gave him and would show his affection to him by pressing him against the wall and dragging him to the bedroom or sofa where it was a lot more comfortable for more activities. Arthur was happy and he was glad he got another century with this man. The man who never failed to impress him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to include some small nice stories about Arthur's return. I might eventually write about his rise to becoming king again :)


	3. Mornings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur never liked getting up early, and for once he doesn't have to.

The sun began to shine between the curtain and drew a long gold line right over Arthur's eyes. He growled and rubbed his eyes drowsily and glanced at the gap in the curtains. The duvet was all over the place, but Arthur wasn't too bothered about that, especially when he had Merlin laid beside him. Merlin was sprawled out over the bed with half of his body on top of Arthur's and it didn't take long for him to notice that his leg was also placed awkwardly over his crotch. The soon-to-be king groaned as he pushed Merlin's leg away and attempted to stand up to draw the curtains in more. Once he was standing, he stumbled over to the curtains as he heard a strong moan from behind him. The sun was finally blocked out and he sighed in relief.

"Arthur, what are you doing up already?" Merlin yawned as he pulled more of the duvet towards him and snuggled into it. His sleepy eyes looked close to shutting again, and Arthur knew he was longing to jump back into bed with him. His warmth was too irresistible. He smiled and shook his head.

"Nothing really. Sun was in my eyes" he laughed and stepped slowly back to the bed. He lifted up the duvet as he slipped in and curled around Merlin. The two of them fitting together like a puzzle piece. Both of them were cozy now and that left a satisfied smile on Merlin's face. "what's with  _that_ stupid smirk for?" Arthur complained.

"Oh, you know you love it." Merlin's smirk seemed to get wider as Arthur laughed. Merlin wrapped his arms round his neck and pulled him down into an embrace full of kisses. They left soft warm patches over his lips and just made him want to lie there forever, as long as Merlin was with him, of course. The two of the fell back into an adorable sleep where they didn't wake up til midday, and that was just the way Arthur enjoyed his mornings.

Downstairs there was a strong smell of bacon and the growling of Arthur's stomach. He wasn't use to small breakfasts, which where deliciously prepared by his boyfriend and not his servant, but it gave him a warmth he wasn't used to feeling. He didn't know if he was fully ready to rule again after he witnessed living life this way. However, he also believed that if he was needed to rule, then he would have to. It wasn't going to be that bad if he still had Merlin with him. He had a warm coffee in his palms and he sipped from it carefully, just so that he made sure he wouldn't scorch his tongue. He'd done that once before and he still remembers the awful grating feeling. After finishing his coffee and his bits of bacon, he gave Merlin a couple of kisses of appreciation, and he got more returned.

"Y'know..." Merlin smiled. "We could head back upstairs for a bit?" Arthur smiled and laughed as he grabbed Merlin by the waist and pushed him towards the stairs.


	4. Pet Store

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin decides that it's about time Arthur and him got a pet so they go to the store. Arthur can't decide upon which puppy to buy as they're all too adorable.

The bell of the pet store rang as Merlin and Arthur stepped into the shop. Arthur's nose turned up at the peculiar smell that now surrounded them and his ears focused on the sounds of different animals within the shop. He could hear birds, cats, dogs and some weird noises that he could not recognise. Reptiles were stacked on the left side of the wall and at the end of the shop there were tanks upon tanks of multicoloured fish. Even with the strange smell in the air, Arthur was surprised to see how immaculate the room was. There was no dirt on the floor and all the tanks and cages were perfectly cleaned. Merlin rubbed Arthur's back and headed to the cashier to the right, signalling to wait as he goes to ask for some assistance.

Arthur glanced at the metallic pen on the floor full of bouncing puppies. They were yapping at the soon-to-be king attempting to gain his attention, which obviously they have succeeded in. He wandered over to the pen and pulled one out of the pen to pet it. He smiled as the cute Dachshund puppy whose tongue flailed around. He pulled the puppy closer to him so he could cuddle him and kiss him.

"You are the cutest thing I have ever _seen_ " Arthur laughed as he played with the puppy. He gazed down at the pen and saw a sign on the front. It read 'Please feel free to sit and play with the puppies' along with a smiley face from clipboard on Microsoft Word. That's when he decided to get in the pen with them. As soon as he stepped in, the puppies were all over him, licking him with their quickly wagging tails. He continued to giggle as they pounced all over them. He couldn't understand how or why he was supposed to choose only one pet. He felt like he could just take home all of these puppies. After a large amount of time playing with the puppies, something caught his eye. He stared up at the shop keeper and his grinning boyfriend who were standing outside of the pen. Arthur quickly jumped up and placed a few of the dogs on the floor of the pen. Once he was out Merlin slipped an arm around his back.

"You're never going to decide on one of them if you do that" he smiled and nuzzled Arthur's arm.

"Well, I thought they needed some attention" he coughed, meanwhile trying to cover up why he was in the puppies' pen. Merlin chuckled and removed his arm before turning to look at the large smile on the shop keeper's face. "So, I think I know which one I want." Merlin seemed shocked, he obviously didn't understand how it was possible to choose between them all when he'd just been laying with them.

"So, which one do you like?" Merlin asked and he stepped towards the pen. Arthur picked out the Dachshund that he held when he first came over tot he pen. "I really like this one. I thought we could call him Gaius." Merlin's eyes appeared to water a bit at the thought and Arthur put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, I like Gaius."

\------------------------------

Later that day, Merlin and Arthur sat in their living room playing with their new puppy. They bought a beautiful matching red lead and collar. They also had to make sure that they bought the appropriate things such as bowls for food and water, insurance and a mat to train him in where he should go to the bathroom. Both of them were happy with this puppy, especially the name. Gaius bounced over to his food and water bowl, suddenly feeling tired.

Merlin kissed Arthur and said "thank you..."

"For what?" he replied, staring intently into his eyes.

"You know" he smiled and kissed him again.


	5. A Day Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a warm day, so Arthur and Merlin decide to take Gaius out for a long walk.

The sun had been glaring down on their small town for a few days now. Normally, Arthur and Merlin would be curled up on the sofa watching Game of Thrones or some other show they got themselves attached to. However, it had been so hot that they were literally sticking their head under the tap for water and not caring when it poured over their face. They had to get out and do something. Arthur walked into the living room of their apartment with Gaius' lead in his hands. As soon as the dog saw the black leather dangling from Arthur's palm, he was rushing over with his tongue dangling out like the excited puppy he is. Merlin glanced over the edge of the sofa to see why the dog was so urgent to leap out of his arms.

"Finally! We're going out!" Merlin laughed as he jumped off the sofa. Arthur stared for a moment as his shirtless boyfriend stood before him. He was so happy Merlin was relaxed and at ease around him. Both of them were content, even if Arthur missed his family and the old world he lived in. Merlin looked at his chest and then back to Arthur with a grin across his face. "Guess I should throw a shirt on, huh?" he said as he stumbled into the other room. Arthur linked the lead to the, now frantic, Dachshund's collar. Moments later, Merlin emerged through the doorway wearing one of Arthur's tank shirts. It was definitely too big for him, but he had no complaints.

Arthur eased his arm around Merlin's waist and moaned “you look great, Merlin” he smiled as he pressed a soft kiss on Merlin’s bottom lip. He felt his boyfriend’s hand run up his back and push itself into his hair. He grabbed a fistful of hair as Arthur used his tongue to work his mouth open. He felt Merlin blushing under his touch. “D-do we still have to go out?” Arthur asked and his boyfriend stepped back grinning. He tugged on the lead in Arthur’s palm and walked Gaius towards the front door.

“Yep, we’re still going out.”

Arthur sighed. “Fine, but Merlin?”

“Yes, sire?”

“If you push me into a pond using magic again, I will delete your progress on Disco Zoo” Arthur said sternly as he followed after, the now chuckling, Merlin.

“You wouldn’t dare!” he yelled.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Merlin and Arthur were strolling down the public footpath, hand in hand. It was such a beautiful day that Arthur wished he could just kiss Merlin under the closest tree and stay there until night-fall. Who would've thought that he'd see the light again after he died, and by light of day, he meant the light that pulled him through the darkness whenever he was in trouble. Merlin was always his light and he couldn't believe he used to call him his servant. Arthur gazed at Merlin and realised how times had changed. He remembered dying in his arms and wondering why he’d never confessed his feelings for him. He used to be king, why would he have to worry about what anyone expected from him. If his people didn’t like his love for Merlin, then he didn’t care because the only person who mattered was Merlin. It was only Merlin.

Gaius ran around a few trees and Arthur decided this was the time to kiss him. He spun Merlin around to face him and he firmly pushed his lips on his. The kiss forced the two of them into the tree next to them. Luckily the park was empty and there was no one around to see Arthur show his true feelings towards Merlin. His boyfriend pulled away to gasp for air.

“A-Arthur…” he groaned, but he didn’t answer. He just smiled and pushed his lips back again. Both of them felt like they were melting together as their kiss grew stronger and fiercer.

“Merlin, I love you. Don’t forget that” Arthur whispered as he moved his mouth down his jaw and to the sensitive mark on Merlin’s neck.

“I would never forget, Arthur. W-what spurred this on, huh?” Merlin said with a cheeky smile planted on his face.

Arthur looked up and stared straight into his eyes. “I didn’t treat you the way I should have. It isn’t something easily forgiven. You cared for me and I was too blind to see it.”

“I do forgive you, though” Merlin replied as his eyes softened to Arthur’s words.

“But I don’t forgive myself. I will spend the whole of this life making it up to you Merlin. How about we go out to dinner tonight?” Arthur spurred on.

“It’s about time!” Merlin laughed as he leaned back into Arthur’s kiss.


End file.
